The invention relates to an apparatus for counting pills and capsules of different sizes. Various devices for counting pills have been made, ranging from a simple tray with a pouring spout to large devices for automatically counting hundreds or thousands of pills. The simple trays provide rapid dispensing of the counted pills, but require manual counting. The automatic counting devices eliminate the need for manual counting, but are generally not practical for counting a small number of pills, and are often difficult to clean.
The invention provides an automatic counting device that allows for rapid counting and dispensing of either pills or capsules, allows for simple return of excess pills or capsules to the stock bottle, and is easily cleaned. The counting device includes a housing, a movable plate and a removable sizing guide. The housing has an opening for delivering the counted pills to a prescription bottle. The housing may additionally have a second opening for returning excess pills to a stock bottle. The movable plate divides the housing into an upper section where the pills are counted, and a lower section for transferring the counted pills to a prescription bottle. The removable sizing guide fits over the movable plate and has apertures that align with apertures in the movable plate when the movable plate is moved to a second position, allowing counted pills or capsules to pass through to the lower section of the housing.